It may seem like strange talk these days, but there was a time when nobody was sure whetherThe Mandalorianwould end up being worth watching for either fans ofStar Warsor newcomers. Now that aspects of the Disney+ series have stuck around the pop culture lexicon with the staying power of an “arrow in the knee” meme in 2012, it’s almost difficult to think about a world where Din Djarin and Grogu never graced the tiny screen.
Well, according toseries star Pedro Pascal, he was actually afraid that his titular character wouldn’t be endearing or interesting enough to keep the attention of audiences, much less become part of the cultural phenomenonThe Mandalorianquickly grew into. Even looking back as far as the first episode of season 1, it was likely clear to many viewers that this show had something special. There’s a reason it’s widely consideredone of the bestStar WarsTV shows, after all. But Pascal had some doubts at first.
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In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Pascal shared some of his original mild apprehension with regards to the series. Interestingly enough, it turns out that the passion held by the show’s creators went a long way in alleviating those fears. “I think it was so easy to trust how much Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni loveStar Warsand [how they’re] taking that love and developing new ways of tellingStar Warsstories,” Pascal said. “That’s a big safety net. But there were things, like, will this character be compelling? Will people want to follow him through these adventures? Will the richness of this parent-child relationship really reach everyone? So to see all of that surpass expectation is really exciting.”
Seeing whatStar Warsfanatics Filoni and Favreauultimately came up with (and are still coming up with) onThe Mandalorian, it’s not difficult to see why Pascal was so easily able to place his trust in them. But they weren’t the only ones who affected the actor’s outlook. In the same interview, Pascal gave a shout out to Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder, the other 2 actorswho play Din Djarinon-screen for some of his more intensive scenes. “It’s been a collaborative process from the beginning,” Pascal said reverently of his co-stars. “I was given the opportunity to establish physical specificity in some ways at the start of the show, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t observing and picking up from what they’re doing and handing over so much of it as well. They do the heavy lifting.”
Even thoughThe Mandalorianis still running, and thus technically retains the possibility of losing its audience one day, it feels pretty safe to say that Pascal’s fears were ultimately unfounded. This is a show that has added to theStar Warsmythos in meaningful ways,Gina Carano aside, and continues to remain relevant as both an important entry to the lore and just a fun romp for the viewers. The excitement for season 3 is further proof of that.
So Pascal and everyone else who lovesStar Warscan rest easy knowing that, at the very least, the first 2 seasons have already solidifiedThe Mandalorianas pop culture royalty. Who knows how it will go from here? MaybeChristopher Lloyd does, after being cast for season 3. Clearly, there are incredible things in store.
The Mandalorianis available to stream on Disney+, with season 3 expected to premiere in 2023.
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